Improvement in looms



HORACE VYMAN, OF VORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

(IMPROVEMENT IN Looms;

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 70,309, dated October 29, 1867.

To allwhom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, HORACE WYMAN, of Worcester, in the county of VVorcest-erv and State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Looms 5 `and I do hereby declare that the following',

taken in connection with the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification, is a description of my invention sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to practice it.

The invention 'relates to the box-changing mechanism of fancy looms, the object of the invention being a provision for effecting from a pattern cylinder or chain the change from any one box to any other in a series of four or more, the transfer, whether from one box to an adjacent one or to one most remote from it, being effected in the same time, and the operation of the mechanism being always reliable.

The invention consists in combining with the patternchain and its levers and suspended pawls, or their equivalents, a compound lever or bar, to one end of which one set of dropboxes is connected, while at its opposite end, and at an intermediate point or points, connections are made from said lever to a series of sliding racks or bars operated from the pattern cylinder, the relative positions and changes held by and produced in these racks determining the movements and positions of the lever and the extent of movement communicated through said lever to the boxes.

The drawings represent a loom mechanism embodying my invention. A shows an end view of the same. B is a horizontal section, showing a plan of the sliding racks and pawlwheels. G is a rear elevation of the box-shifting mechanism. a denotes the loom-frame; b, the driving-shaft, connected to and vibrating the lathe c in the ordinary manner. c2 denotes the set of drop-boxes at one end of the lathe, there being a corresponding set at the opposite end thereof. Each set of boxes is mounted on a vertical rod, d, and slides in a frame or ways, e. The rod of each set of boxes is jointed to and actuated by a lever, f, to carry each shuttleabox into position, this connection being preferably made as shown at A. g denotes the pattern-cylinder, carrying a ratchet-wheel, h, acted upon by a pawl or hook, t', connected with and operated from the turning tappet-shaft 7., as seen at A. Each arm or lever m acted upon bythe pattern chain or cylinder has suspended from it one of a series of double pawls, n nl a2, pivoted in a swingbearin g, o, which is suspended from the frame a, and is operated by the tappets or cams p on the tappetfshaft 7c to carry any particular pawl or pawls up into action against the upper or lower teeth of a corresponding series of pawl-wheels, q q1 q2, rockin g on a stationary shaft, r. Each of these wheels has projecting from it an arm or finger, s, the lower end of which extends between studs t projecting from a slide-bar,

und, or u2, or is jointed to such bar. Each bar ot' the-series of slide-bars or toothed racks is shown as arranged to slide to andV fro horizontally in guides @,its motion in either direction being produced by the arm s, (its extent of movement in either direction being determined by suitable stops,) and being eiected by vthe engagement of the upper or lower tooth of the pawl in the same plane with it with the upper or lower tooth of the corresponding pawl-wheel, as will be readily un derstood, each pawl-tooth carried into con` nection with its pawl-wheel moving the wheel the same fixed distance (in one orthe opposite direction) at every engagement. Into the teeth of each sliding rack or bar a gear, w w1 co2, meshes, each gear-wheel being xed or upon a shaft mounted in stationary bearings, and having a crank-pin projecting therefrom, to which is jointed one end of a connecting-rod, x1 x2, whose opposite end is jointed directly or indirectly to an arm of the compound leverpor barf. This lever has two movable fulcra, y y1, upon one of which a secondary or auxiliary lever, y?, is hung, this sec ondary lever being that through which the links w1 a02 connect the crank-gears w1 2v2 with the main lever.

Now, it will be obvious that if the outer fula crum, y, be stationary, movement of either of the slide-racks u1 or u2 alone in either direc tion, or movement of both said racks in the same direction, either toward or from the front of the loom, or their movement in oppo= site directions, either toward or from each other, will produce a change of position of the fulcrum y1 and a corresponding changerof po sition of the boxes, bringing so e particular shuttle into position, according to the relative change of position produced in the racks, While, by combining with each or any of these movements a movement of the fulcruxn y in either direction, (produced by sliding the rack u,) or by moving this latter fulcrum and keeping the racks u1 u2 stationary, other changes will be produced in the position of the boxes, and that through these means any box may, at any beat of the lay, be brought into line with the shuttle-race.

The mechanism is shown in the drawing as constructed and arranged for effecting these changes in a set of six boxes. When the outer fulcrum, y, is raised both links x* and x2 may be raised, or both lowered; or the link w may be raised and au? lowered, or x2 raised and x lowered and when the fulcrum y is lowered these same changes of the links w1 m2 may be again produced, making six positions for the six boxes.

With the arrangement of levers as shown, however, eight boxes may be used by giving to the outer fl1lcrum,y,a capability of greater extent of movement than shown in the drawings, and adapting the pattern for governing that end of the fulcrum, so as to give the said lever the necessary movements and properperiods of rest. If four boxes are to be used the fulcrumyor one of the racks al u2 may be kept stationary, and for more boxes the lever f may be still further compounded and combined with other slide-racks;

It will be obvious, however, that the specific arrangement shown may be materially varied Without departure from the essence of my invention, in which the change of position of the boxes is effected through the compound lever and a system of slide-bars.

I claim- The mechanism for effecting the changes of ihe shuttle-boxes, substantially as set forth.

HORACE WYMAN.

Witnesses:

T. L. NELSON, JAMES GREEN, Jr. 

